In-form Daly comes through at Lyre
He won the first three shots and extended his lead to 80m with a big fourth over the hump. Murphy cut that to just 20m with a good fifth shot. He followed with another great shot, but Daly held his odds. Murphy took his only lead with a great seventh to Crowley’s bend, which Daly missed by two metres.
Daly won the next exchange. Murphy then missed light at McCarthy’s and Daly extended his advantage by making light. Murphy was short of the tunnel after his next, but Daly’s bowl hit a wall just 25m fore. Murphy’s next was poor and Daly replied with a massive shot to go 100m clear. Murphy missed that tip to concede a bowl of odds and Daly beat the line in two more to hold his lead.
Jerry Gibbons had a surprise win over Brian Wilmot in the Jerry O’Sullivan Cup semi-final at Curraheen. He won the opening tip by 30m, but Wilmot took the second by the same odds with a good bowl to light. Wilmot drove on with a good bowl to just short of Ryan’s. He made light with his next and was just short of light at the bridge in five. Gibbons made light there in six. Wilmot then lofted his sixth, but it landed on the fence for a dead bowl.
Gibbons seized that opening to take control of the score. He made Richards’ lane in five to go well over a bowl clear. He raised a second bowl between there and the finish.
Donal Riordan beat Gavin Twohig in the last shot at the Marsh Road. They were locked together after seven each to the silvery gate. Twohig made the steps in three more to go almost a bowl in front. He lost most of his odds to Ballyhilty cross, but little separated them to the last shot. Riordan got a big last and Twohig just missed it.
James Murphy raised a flag for the famous political and bowling dynasty beating Michael Coughlan by four metres in the Ballydehob final. Coughlan opened with a great throw to go almost a bowl in front. Murphy closed the gap in the next nine to the cottage. He was 50m fore at the D-Line, but Coughlan won the second last tip by 20m with a great bowl. Murphy played a brilliant last but Coughlan just missed with a reply.
Liam Dennis beat Steven Quinlan in a derby Christy Coleman Cup final at Cobh. Quinlan won the first two, but Dennis took a good lead with a great third. They went dead level to Sam’s corner and onto McCarthy’s cross.
They both got two good bowls to the bottom of Clash. Dennis won the next exchange up the hill, but Quinlan led after a good bowl to Foran’s. Neither player made the line, but Quinlan was still fore. Dennis got a massive last bowl to the end of the straight and Quinlan was well hind with his reply.
Noel Bowen scored four wins at two venues. At Carraig na bhFear he got two sensational opening shots from Crowley’s to the novice line to effectively end his contest with Terry Sexton. Against Cian Boyle he broke the deadlock in a storming finish past the doctor’s.
At Whitechurch he teamed up with Davey Fitzgerald to beat Cian and Thomas Boyle. He then beat Thomas Boyle in a single hand.
Raymond Ryan had a surprisingly easy win over Eamon Bowen at Carraig na bhFear. He got a poor opening bowl, but Bowen missed his tip. He increased his lead in the shots to light and raised a bowl with a brilliant drive to the doctor’s. He had a second bowl at Daunt’s and held that to the creamery in two more. He was at the junior line in five more where he had doubled his lead.
PJ Cooney beat Andrew O’Leary by almost a bowl at Ballincurrig. He made the no-play line in six to go almost a bowl clear. He increased his odds to O’Riordan’s. O’Leary then played two sensational bowls to the big corner to cut the odds. Cooney had almost a bowl again after O’Leary missed light at the top of the short straight and held it to the line.
In the Northern Builders Cup at Knappagh, Malachy Donnelly beat Oliver O’Neill by almost a bowl. Darren Duffy had the same odds on Seamus O’Neill. Frank Nugent was a clear winner against Pat Gilroy and Philip McKeever was equally dominant against Ronan McClelland.
Johnny Holland, a member of the Irish team that contested the first European Championships at Losser in 1969, died at the weekend. A powerful lefthander, he rubbed shoulders with Mick Barry and Denis Scully in his heyday. His natural charisma drew a huge following in his bowling days and he remained equally popular after he retired.
Two other great names of bowling also died at the weekend: Gerry Donnelly who was Ulster secretary and treasurer from 1959 till 1975 and Bernie O’Donoghue, who was Bill Daly’s road-shower for many years.
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